Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G21/00—Table-ware
  • A47G21/10—Sugar tongs; Asparagus tongs; Other food tongs
  • A47G21/103—Chop-sticks
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T403/00—Joints and connections
  • Y10T403/32—Articulated members
  • Y10T403/32606—Pivoted

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a resilient connecting element for connecting together a pair of chopsticks. It furthermore relates to a chopstick arrangement comprising a resilient element and one pair of chopsticks which are resiliently connected together by means of said resilient element.
• some kind of device to facilitate or allow the use of chopsticks is sometimes desired, at least as a learning tool. Furthermore, in the Asian countries, where eating with chopsticks is an everyday occurrence, the younger people and children are beginners as well and have to learn to operate the chopsticks. Thus, in those situations, some kind of device to facilitate or allow the using of chopsticks, is desirable as well.
• Chopstick holders are previously known. These chopstick holders are often rather large devices and some of them tend to not give necessary stability to the chopsticks. In addition, known chopstick holders can often be considered as aids to disabled persons and can therefore also be considered as negative devices. Furthermore, some users find the chopstick holders to be complicated to assemble with the chopsticks, even necessitating an elaborate user's guide. In addition, today, it is not always easy for the users to get hold of a chopstick holder. However, it should be noted that it is important for users not to loose their face, especially when the user are sitting among strangers, such as at a restaurant. Therefore, a chopstick holder, easy to assemble and easy to use, is desirable. Accordingly, it is desirable that the chopstick holders are found where the needs are and it is desirable that the chopstick holders are not being considered as negative devices, such as only for disabled persons.
• An object of the present invention is to provide an improved resilient connecting element which at least partly eliminates at least some of the above mentioned problems .
• a resilient connecting element for connecting together a pair of chopsticks
• said resilient connecting element comprises a resilient flexible plate and two pairs of breakthrough portions wherein each pair of breakthrough portions consist of a first and a second breakthrough portion, wherein each second breakthrough portion is positioned at a unidirected distance perpendicularly from an imaginary line extending between each first breakthrough portion, wherein the distance between said second breakthrough portions is equal or shorter than the distance between said first breakthrough portions.
• the stiffness is helping the user to keep the chopsticks in an adequate position for eating and to separate them again after the release of a gripped food product. Accordingly, a suitable path for the gripping part of the chopsticks, between an initial position and an food gripping position, is achieved. Hence, this helps the user to grip the food and to keep the food between the chopsticks, without the need for the necessary dexterity.
• said distance between said second breakthrough portions is shorter than said distance between said first breakthrough portions.
• said second breakthrough portions of each pair of breakthrough portions are equally distanced from said imaginary line. Further, said two pairs of breakthrough portions are through holes.
• said second breakthrough portions of each pair of breakthrough portions are interconnected to form one continuous breakthrough portion.
• said resilient connecting element is made of resilient plastic material.
• the resilient connecting element is provided with an improved back spring effect. Accordingly, the element will strive to achieve its initial position, when the resilient connecting element is assembled with the chopsticks and the assembly is used.
• the invention could be produced by for example punching at a very low price.
• said resilient connecting element is detachably connected to a food package.
• the resilient connecting element is easily available for the users.
• said resilient connecting element is integrated with said package suitable for food.
• the contour of said resilient connecting element is formed of an indication of fracture in said package suitable for food, whereby said connecting element can be broken out of said package.
• the chopstick arrangement comprises a resilient element and one pair of chopsticks which are resiliently connected together by means of said resilient element wherein said resilient element comprises a plate of flexible material, comprising two pairs of breakthrough portions of which each pair is penetrated by one of said chopsticks, wherein said resilient element is bent into an essentially U-shaped form, wherein one of the breakthrough portions of each pair of breakthrough portions is arranged to be positioned at one side of the bend and the other one of the breakthrough portions of each pair of breakthrough portions is positioned at the opposite side of said bend.
• said resilient element is bent against the resiliency of its material into said essentially U-shaped form.
• the breakthrough portions of each pair of breakthrough portions that are positioned closest to an end of said chopsticks for gripping food have a larger distance in relation to one another than the distance between the other breakthrough portions of each pair of breakthrough portions, wherein said chopsticks diverge towards said ends for gripping food.
• Another aspect of the present invention is the use of a resilient connecting element in combination with chopsticks for eating food.
• Fig. Ia is a front view showing a chopstick arrangement, when the chopsticks are in a food gripping position, according to the present invention
• Fig. Ib is a side view showing a chopstick arrangement, when the chopsticks are in a initial poisition, according to the present invention.
• Fig. 2a is a front view showing a chopstick arrangement, when the chopsticks are in a food gripping position, according to the present invention.
• Fig. 2b is a side view showing a chopstick arrangement, when the chopsticks are in a food gripping position, according to the present invention.
• Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing a resilient connecting element, according to the present invention.
• Fig Ia and Ib illustrate a chopstick arrangement 1 according to the present invention, when the chopsticks 3 are in a initial position.
• the chopstick arrangement 1 comprises a chopstick holder 2 and a pair of chopsticks 3.
• the chopstick holder 2 exemplifies a resilient connecting element for connecting together a pair of chopsticks 3, according to the present invention.
• the chopstick holder comprises two pairs of holes, a first pair of holes 4 and 8, and a second pair of holes 5 and 8. Each pair of holes comprises a first hole, 4 and 5, and a second hole 8.
• the second hole 8 of each pair of holes is according to this embodiment interconnected to form one continuous hole 8.
• the chopsticks 3 comprises two ends, the first end is the end for gripping food and the second end is the opposite end of the food gripping end.
• the chopstick holder 2 is assembled with the chopsticks 3 by way of inserting the food gripping end of one chopstick 3, first through the ingoing hole 8 and then through the outgoing hole 5, and as a second step inserting the food gripping end of the other chopstick 3, first through the ingoing hole 8 and then through the outgoing hole 4.
• the chopsticks are often conically formed.
• the chopstick holder 2 By providing the chopstick holder 2 according to this embodiment, it will be easy for the user to assemble the chopstick holder 2 with the chopsticks 3, since the hole 8 is larger than the cross sectional area of the chopstick 3.
• the diameter of the outgoing holes 4, 5 is larger than the smallest diameter of the chopsticks 3 but smaller than the largest diameter of the chopsticks 3. This way a natural "stop" is created in order to help the user during the assembly to find a good position for the chopsticks 3 relative the holder 2.
• the user can adjust the distance between the ends for food gripping of the chopsticks 3, and thereby also adjust the resistance which generates when operating the chopsticks 3 from the initial position to the food gripping position. Accordingly, it is easy for the user to adjust the chopstick arrangement 1 and thus the distance between the end for gripping of the chopsticks 3, depending on what kind of food the user is eating and the size of the food.
• Fig 2a and 2b illustrate a chopstick arrangement 1 according to the present invention, when the chopsticks 3 are in a food gripping position.
• the chopsticks 3 When the user is holding the chopsticks 3 in his or her hand 9 and pushes the chopsticks 3 towards each other from the initial position, the chopsticks 3 get into the gripping position.
• the distance between the ends for food gripping of the chopsticks 3 is smaller than in the initial position and thereby adjusted for gripping food.
• the chopstick holder 2 bends between the hole 5 and 4 and this creates a buckling deformation of the material.
• the outgoing holes 4, 5 are compressed in their inner part, i.e. the part of the holes 4, 5 that are located towards one another.
• the outer parts of the hole 8 are expanded, i.e. the parts facing away from one another.
• desirable stability of the movement of the chopsticks is created since the deformation of the material, i.e. the back spring effect of the holder 2 is at all times working to resume the initial position of the holder 2 and thereby of the chopsticks 3.
• the distance between the ends for food gripping of the chopsticks 3 becomes larger again due to the back spring effect of the chopstick holder 2.
• the chopsticks 3 are following the desirable path of motion and are still being stable in the hand 9 of the user.
• Fig. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the chopstick holder 2 with two pairs of holes 4, 6; 5, 7.
• the second holes of each pair of holes constitute two separate holes 6 and 7, instead of the single hole 8 according to the first embodiment.
• Each second hole 6, 7 are ingoing holes, when inserting the ends for gripping food of the chopsticks 3 through the chopstick holder 2.
• the first pair of holes 4 and 6 comprise a first hole 4 and a second hole 6.
• the second pair of holes 5, 7 comprise a first hole 5 and a second hole 7.
• Each first holes 4, 5 are outgoing holes, when inserting the ends for gripping food of the chopsticks 3 through the chopstick holder 2.
• an imaginary i.e.
• not visible line extends, with a length Jb.
• the second hole 6 is positioned at a distance c' from the imaginary line.
• the second hole 7 is positioned at a distance c' ' from the imaginary line.
• Each second hole 6, 7 is positioned at a unidirected distance perpendicularly from the imaginary line extending between each first hole 4, 5.
• the meaning of unidirected distance is, according to the present invention, that each second hole 6, 7, 8 lie on the same side of the above mentioned imaginary line.
• a distance a is the distance between the centres of the holes 6 and 7.
• the distance a between the second holes ⁇ and 7 of each pair of holes is, according to this embodiment, shorter than the distance b between the holes 4 and 5.
• the desirable angle between the chopsticks 3 is achieved, when assemble the chopstick holder 2 with the chopsticks 3.
• the chopsticks 3 diverge towards the ends for gripping food.
• Chopsticks 3 have usually a length of 15-25 cm and they are preferably inserted in the chopstick holder 2 so as to provide an angle between the chopsticks 3 when assembled with the holder 2 that is 15° - 25°.
• the chopstick holder shall be considered as a disposable article, i.e. a single use article that can be produced at low costs. For this reason and to make an environmentally friendly product at the same time as giving the holder 2 above described characteristics, it is advantageous to produce it from a plastic material by- injection moulding and by punching the contour out of a larger thin plate.
• the plate is preferably approximately 0,5 - 2 mm thick and the diameter of the round holder 2 is preferably 35-50 mm, with a suitable diameter of 40 mm in the preferred embodiment.
• the dimensions of the holder 2 is however dependent on the length of the chopsticks 3 and of the material used for the holder 2. Any other outer contour than rounded may be used, for example that of a heart, in combination possibly with a colour of red for use at valentines day, to create a specific effect or reaction.
• the distance c' and c' ' could be unequal in length.
• the distance a and b could be equal, positioning the chopsticks 3 in a parallel relationship to one another.
• the chopstick holder 2 could also be decorated in different ways.
• the hole 8 could be formed as a happy mouth and the holes 4, 5 could represent eyes in a happy face. Accordingly, the invention is intended to not be considered as an aid for helping disabled persons, rather a humorous chopstick holder and the users would not have to loose their face when using it.
• the resilient connecting element can be attached to the food package by glue or adhesive tape.
• the breakthrough portions could have the cross sectional form of for example a triangle or a polygon.

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Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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• 2005
  • 2005-06-30 AT AT05755026T patent/ATE474479T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-06-30 CN CN200580050910XA patent/CN101212920B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-06-30 WO PCT/SE2005/001037 patent/WO2007004920A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2005-06-30 EP EP05755026A patent/EP1895877B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-06-30 US US11/922,138 patent/US20100164242A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-06-30 DE DE602005022501T patent/DE602005022501D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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